Brussels, Oct. 20 -- The European Council on Monday approved conclusions on a new strategic EU-India agenda and welcomed the strong impetus in relations between the European Union and India.

The conclusions endorse the Joint Communication on a "New Strategic EU-India Agenda" by the High Representative and the European Commission, and its objective of deepening EU-India ties, including prosperity and sustainability, technology and innovation, security and defence, and connectivity and global issues.

The Council welcomed in particular efforts to conclude a balanced, ambitious, mutually beneficial and economically meaningful Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which the European Commission and the Indian government aim to finalise by the end of th...